Work Zone Wednesday: I-135 bridge deck repairs in Wichita

These photos are from last year’s project that repaired the northbound I-135 bridges in the same location. Similar work will occur on the southbound bridges and the project should be completed before winter weather begins.

Today’s Work Zone Wednesday features a bridge deck repair project on southbound I-135 in Wichita. Two bridges that span railroad tracks and 29^th Street North are being repaired with deck patching, a concrete overlay on the driving surface (photo) and replacement of the expansion joints.

Traffic on southbound I-235 is reduced to two lanes (photo) and the speed limit has been reduced to 50 mph. The 29^th Street Entrance Ramp onto southbound I-135 has been closed and will remain so throughout the life of the project (until December).

These photos are from last year’s project that repaired the northbound I-135 bridges in the same location. Similar work will occur on the southbound bridges and the project should be completed before winter weather begins.

The project will repair problems that have required numerous repairs by maintenance crews. Besides patching concrete potholes that result from the average daily traffic of over 40,000 vehicles, the concrete overlay will provide a much smoother driving surface. The repairs to the expansion joints should also create a better transition onto the bridges. 

While drivers may be slowed through the work zone now, the final product from this project will prolong the functionality of the bridges and maintain this important north-south corridor through Wichita.

Wildcat Concrete Services of Topeka is the prime contractor on the $1,367,856.24 project.